Complaint against Early Edition boating story Feb. 5 and 6/08
As the Press Council of British Columbia does not receive broadcast complaints, we sent the following missive to CBC Ombudsman for English Services Vince Carlin:
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 12:07:07 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Complaint against Early Edition boating story Feb. 5 and 6/08
To: ombudsman@cbc.ca
Hello CBC Ombudsman:
Please find enclosed a brief account of a complaint I wish to make against the Early Edition on Radio One in Vancouver:
Re: Early Edition Feb. 5/05 - Boating story of 7:15 a.m.
Shamelessly self-promoting host, a boater - why do listeners know this? - interviewed Imperial oil exec, who stated elliptically that in-house environmental assessment revealed threat posed by seven B.C. marine gas pumps is SO GREAT, Imperial is actually closing the pumps. Infers devastating oil/gas spill is 1) a VERY REAL and IMMINENT DANGER and 2) of such magnitude that the possibility and extent of liability outweighs huge short-term profits. Implies also that recreational boaters play a contributing role in creating risk / causing harm. New legislation and restraints on boaters may be indicated. No word from DFO or Environment Canada or the Sierra Club or the wide array of interested authorities. No effort, either, to compel the contents of Imperial's environmental assessment. No inquiry at all along these lines.
On the contrary, report included simultaneous interview with a local volunteering to run the the marine gas stations ANYWAY. His proposal would have been laughable if Early Ed hadn't taken him seriously.
What a wonderful irony - oil company becomes a better advocate for public safety than a public news program!
Coincidentally, the boat show is on in Vancouver, February 6 to 10th.
Sent an e-mail containing info above Feb. 5/08 to GO PUBLIC, suggesting the real story had been missed.
Early Ed then upped the ante Feb. 6/08 with 1) an interview this time with editor of Pacific Yachting, who was allowed to flog publication and its plan to trawl reader boaters for THEIR AMATEUR ASSESSMENTS of water quality along the B.C. coast, AND 2) an e-mail supposedly from a listener, who congratulated host for Feb. 5/08 efforts to compel Imperial exec to either maintain gas pumps or allow local operator to do so.
It's very disturbing to hear staff at a NEWS! program using publicly-funded airwaves to flog personal interests, views and friends, i.e., program director, who has taken a position on the show in favor of all things dog - another booming Vancouver industry - despite obvious controversy and has so far been free to promote this view without even a pretense of objectivity even online. Host, a boater, failed to make obvious inquiries regarding Imperial oil environmental risk assessment prompting the closure of marine gas pumps.
Frankly, in most respectable news outlets, this sort of conduct if it somehow got past the news desk (but HOW?!) would get employee:
- fired immediately,
- blackballed throughout the industry, and
- employer investigated by the press council and/or CRTC to ensure compliance with licensing terms.
CBC is ESPECIALLY vulunerable to such charges as it is PUBLICLY funded ... so far.
The foreseeable harm caused by self-interest in the newsroom is huge:
- Unfair loss or increase of reputation / profits to groups and individuals over-/under- or unrepresented by newsroom boosterism;
- Taxpayer exposure to liability for harm caused by newsroom boosterism; and
- Revocation or derogation of licensing agreement with CRTC for failing to uphold terms regarding the provision of news content.
Thank you for your kind attention. I look forward to hearing from you.
Lets Ask Real Environmental Advocates
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 12:45:53 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: Imperial Oil shuts down seven marine gas pumps in B.C. to avoid --- WHAT exactly?!
To: Min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca, enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca, information@sierraclub.org,
webmaster@eurekalert.org, brendak@ecotrustcan.org, mkrkosek@ualberta.ca
Hello Ministers and Other Noble Environmental Advocates,
PLEASE TELL CANADIANS what is behind the in-house environmental assessment prompting Imperial Oil's decision to shut down seven marine gas pumps along the B.C. coast?
Re: CBC Radio One B.C. Early Edition boating story of Feb. 5/08 7:15 a.m. and follow-up Feb. 6/08
Shamelessly self-promoting host, a boater - why do listeners know this? - interviewed Imperial oil exec, who stated elliptically that in-house environmental assessment revealed threat posed by seven B.C. marine gas pumps is SO GREAT, Imperial is actually closing the pumps. Infers devastating oil/gas spill is 1) a VERY REAL and IMMINENT DANGER and 2) of such magnitude that the possibility and extent of liability outweighs huge short-term profits. Implies also that recreational boaters play a contributing role in creating risk / causing harm. New legislation and restraints on boaters may be indicated. No word from DFO or Environment Canada or the Sierra Club or the wide array of interested authorities. No effort, either, to compel the contents of Imperial's environmental assessment. No inquiry at all along these lines.
On the contrary, report included simultaneous interview with a local volunteering to run the the marine gas stations ANYWAY. His proposal would have been laughable if Early Ed hadn't taken him seriously.
What a wonderful irony - oil company becomes a better advocate for public safety than a public news program!
Coincidentally, the boat show is in town.
Sent an e-mail containing info above Feb. 5/08 to CBC GO PUBLIC, suggesting the real story had been missed.
Early Ed then upped the ante Feb. 6/08 with 1) an interview this time with editor of Pacific Yachting, who was allowed to flog his publication and its plan to trawl reader boaters for THEIR AMATEUR ASSESSMENTS of water quality along the B.C. coast, AND 2) an e-mail supposedly from a listener, who congratulated host for Feb. 5/08 efforts to compel Imperial exec to either maintain gas pumps or allow local operator to do so.
What prompted Imperial Oil to conduct the assessment, one wonders? What is the harm indicated, how imminent is the danger, are boaters contributing to the risk/ harm and, if so, will legislation restrain or prohibit recreational boating along the B.C. coast?
Thank you for your kind attention. I look forward to hearing from you on this important though entirely missed news story.
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